This week saw the release of the annual Trendwatching.com consumer predictions for the year ahead.

With ‘wearable tech’ seemingly hogging all the headlines in other prediction round ups, this compilation really got us thinking as it focuses more on the opportunities for start-ups to get noticed in 2014.

These trends really showcase that the end user will be the driving force behind everything from the products themselves to wider CSR thinking. It is no surprise that ‘green thinking’ is ranking highly, but now it seems brands will need to push further, needing to think about their ‘guilt free’ messaging too. We are told that no matter what tech people are buying they’re going to start pushing harder to know the sustainability background or the lesser known ‘do good’ facts of that product that they can use to impress their mates. The upshot is that brands need to be making their customers look good in more ways than one.

Additionally, something we have been working on with one of our clients is the thirst for ‘niche’ apps and services. Unii.com has seen huge success this year after spotting a gap in the market for a niche social platform that delivers privacy alongside everything students need for their university experience. This is a trend we believe will spread rapidly as consumers strive to create environments tailored specifically to them and we particularly love the Trendwatching example of ‘Crowdshaping’, where brands will begin to use user aggregated behaviour to deliver re-shaping of services in real time.

Personally, I’m less sure about the adoption of what has been dubbed ‘Mychiatry’ or the interest in the ‘quantified self’. To me relying on tech for ‘total lifestyle assistance’ might be taking it one step too far – I’m really not sure what I would do with a sleep analysis app and sometimes I just want to be in a grumpy mood without even my gadgets knowing about it too!

And on that note, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope Santa brings you all the guilt-free goodies you could wish for.